Bilge pump alarms

[Ross]

Automatic sprinkler systems in commercial buildings have alarms that are driven by the water flow for the sprinklers.
Is there an alarm that of such nature for bilge pumps?

I have a friend who nearly sank a 42 foot twin engine cabin cruiser because a 4 inch
engine cooling water hose failed and the bilge pump couldn't keep up. He didn't notice until the boat got sloppy to handle.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Interesting idea, Ross. I know that there are flow rate devices that are intended to be used in an engine cooling line and will sound an alarm if the flow drops too low. I wonder if it could be adapted for your use.

However a simple approach would be to wire an alarm across the pump so that the alarm sounds when the pump is energized. A long-sounding alarm would be an unmistakable sign of a problem. The alarm could have a 30 second delay so that brief purges would not sound the alarm.

 

[Tom J]

I installed a high water alarm in my boat. Bought an alarm at Radio Shack and a float switch at the hardware store. I mounted the float switch at a level in the bilge higher than the water normally gets. Then, if the alarm sounds, I know there is a problem, and, hopefully, there is time to deal with it!

 

[Ross]

The boat I am talking about had a pair of 6-71 diesels waaaaay down in the bowels of the boat and the helmsman on the bridge two decks up. He needed an alarm that would wake the dead.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Put parallel alarms where the helmsman may be.

 

[Old Skool Neil]

I installed a high water alarm in my boat. Bought an alarm at Radio Shack and a float switch at the hardware store. I mounted the float switch at a level in the bilge higher than the water normally gets. Then, if the alarm sounds, I know there is a problem, and, hopefully, there is time to deal with it!

How 'bout having that high water float switch operate a secondary bilge pump at the same time?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

This is not a new idea...high water alarms connected to bilge pump float switches are common. I've never owned a boat that didn't have 'em. The alarm "noise makers" aren't at the pumps, they're on the helm where someone is likely to hear 'em.

Any decent marine store has 'em...I just found 'em at Defender...I'm sure WM has 'em too.

 

[Dalliance]

I have a primary pump on a float switch low in the bilge and a secondary pump and float switch higher in the bilge. The primary has a bilge pump counter at the electrical panel so I see how often it's cycling on and off and it can't mask a small problem until it becomes a big one. The secondary pump has an alarm at the panel. Both are fused and connected to directly to separate batteries for redundancy. Both the counter and the alarm are made by Aqualarm which is carried by both West Marine and Defender.

 

[Ross]

There are also crash pumps that are built without seals and are direct drive from the engine. They start working when the water floods their intakes. It is for these that I would like to see a flow driven alarm.